status change and consistency rule

[Guest Brenda N.]

An employee has recently married. I know this is a status change to add the spouse to the health insurance, but does this mean only to the plan the employee is currently enrolled in? The employee wants to change health plans (the employer has two different plans to choose from) at the time the spouse is added.

[oriecat]

I'd be inclined to say no. Under our plans, changing from one to the other can only occur at open enrollment, unless the employee moves out of the service area.